Roundabout Pre-School

Newsletter

September 2014

We would like to welcome back both children and staff. We hope you enjoyed your summer!

The Roundabout team would like to welcome all the new starters of this term. All children both new starters and children previously on role have settled in well and are making some great friends.

For all new starters, staff will begin to observe those children and complete a starting summary report and discuss your child’s development stage with yourself. Therefore it would be great for you to arrange a time with your child’s key worker to go through the report and gain an understanding of the tools we use when completing the report. We are hoping to have these complete for the end of the second week of September.

For those children who have been at Roundabout for some time now, staff will be completing a termly report an ongoing procedure like staff used last academic year. Again we are hoping to have these completed by the second week in September.

Coming up..........

Roundabout will now be introducing Spanish lessons throughout morning sessions. This is a trial for all our children at Roundabout and we hope the children enjoy this. Activities will include, singing Spanish songs, numbers, colours, shapes greetings and Spanish traditions.

Roundabout is also happy to announce that the Committee will run a coffee morning Wednesday 10th September to meet with new and current parents/ carers. The coffee morning will be held at the setting starting from 9am. For those children who do not attend a Wednesday, parents & carers are more than welcome to attend.

Although we no longer follow strict ‘topics’ or ‘themes’ within the room (preferring to be led by children’s natural interests), we still aim to raise the children’s awareness of what is going on in our own country and around the world.

All about me...

Roundabout will be creating a display of “All About Me”. It would be a great help if parents can supply photos, certificates of any achievements and anything they enjoy. This will support your child’s social skills as we will discuss these during circle time and it will give your child a chance to talk with other children and build relationships with others.

Whatever the weather...

Please can all parents and carers ensure that your children come to Roundabout with all the necessary kit! We play outside in all weathers and it is completely in the children’s hands when they go outside – wellies, gloves, hats and scarves, etc make the whole process more enjoyable for all concerned, and we don’t have a lot of spares! Please label all items clearly.

Calling all Volunteers!

We would love to see more parent volunteers at Roundabout – if you have the time please let us know. No amount of time is too small and we would always organise sessions to suit you – as little or as often as you would like. Our fabulous volunteer, Nanna Sue, comes to play twice a week and both the staff and the children benefit massively from her being there. So thank you Nanna Sue!

The children often engage in conversations on what people who are close to them do for a living. If you feel you would like to share your professional knowledge/hobbies or interests with our group of interested 2,3 and 4 year olds, then please see Sophie, Carrie or your child’s key person. We can guarantee that the children would be a gentle audience!

Updating our info

Please would all parents ensure that we have the correct contact details for all those who are named as contacts for the children within our care. It is vital that we can contact you efficiently should the need arise.

Can all parents please complete a safeguarding refresher form for their child’s file to keep staff/volunteers up to date of who drops off and collects their child.

Resources

We use hundreds of sheets of paper every week and would appreciate donations of scrap paper – it can be any size and quality, as long as our children can draw on it.

Also, we keep a number of spare clothes at playgroup in case our children get wet whilst playing. Have you got any spare socks, trousers, T-shirts, pants, tights that you no longer need and could donate to playgroup? Many thanks!

Child Safety, Security and Parking

Please come inside the portacabin when dropping off and picking up your child. Remember to close all doors and gates as you come in and out of the building and outdoor play area. It is paramount that your child is picked up in time. Pre-School finishes at 12:00 noon, afternoon sessions finish at 3pm.

If your child is not collected on time, our legal liability relating to the staff/ child ratio will be infringed; similarly, after the afternoon session the Out of School Club needs the building.

We will only release your child to the person(s) authorised on your child’s Enrolment Form. If you have changed your collection arrangements for any reason you must let our staff (usually the person at the entrance) know at the beginning of a session. This must be done in person – we can not respond to instructions by telephone. Please remember also to inform us of any change in circumstances at home or new home/ mobile numbers, changes of address etc. throughout the year. These procedures are in place to safeguard our children.

Finally, Newlaithes School requests you do not park inside the school gates or in the turning circle outside Pre-school. Please park only in the un-marked areas on the road.

We hope your child has settled in well and initial questions have been addressed in this newsletter. We produce a newsletter for each half-term outlining activities and events, these information can also be found on our website www.roundaboutpreschool.org.uk.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information.